The Farmers Mart Apr-May 2020 - Issue 68 | Page 14

14 FARM NEWS APR/MAY 2020 • farmers-mart.co.uk UK beef could soon be heading to the US BEEF from the UK could soon be heading to America after government officials agreed the next step of an export deal worth around £66 million over the first five years. The US has agreed equivalence of stand- ards on the UK’s disease control measures fol- lowing a three-week inspection last summer. It means that after the final administrative details are carried out, beef can be shipped to the US. It comes after an ongoing process of negotiations between the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in partner- ship with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), APHA, FSA, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and other organisations including UKECP. The inspections in August 2019 included tours of five beef sites, four pork and lamb, as well as several laborato- ries. It came hot on the heels of a visit by dele- gates from the US sheep industry, organised by AHDB. AHDB International Market Development Director Dr Phil Hadley said: “This is another fan- tastic boost for industry. Today’s announcement is a crucial step in our ambitions to gain market access for our beef and lamb, to go with our existing pork trade, to the all-important US market. “We have worked collaboratively with industry and government to get this agreement and we will continue to work to get this partnership over the line and to see our products in the US market. Once the final administrative details are carried out, commercial trade will begin.” The inspection in the summer was part financed from the £2 million fund of AHDB red meat levies ring- fenced for collaborative projects which is managed by Britain’s three meat levy bodies: AHDB, HCC and QMS. The fund is an interim arrangement while a long- term solution is sought on the issue of levies being collected at point of slaugh- ter in England for animals which have been reared in Scotland and Wales. NSA UPDATE ON NSA SHEEP EVENT 2020 and business operations. Until that time we will be putting in our best efforts to run a busy, buoyant and lively Sheep Event in July in celebration of the UK Sheep Industry. We hope we can all come together as an industry to support one another in these unprecedented times.” Further updates will follow as needed. FOLLOWING the latest updates on the UK’s situation with regards to the Coronavirus outbreak the National Sheep Association (NSA) would like to update all interested parties on this summer’s NSA Sheep Event. “The NSA would like to update you on NSA Sheep Event 2020. Currently, the association is planning to go ahead and run the event on Tuesday 28th July at the Three Counties Showground, Worcestershire. All at NSA are closely monitoring official guidance on Coronavirus COVID-19 and reviewing the situ- ation daily. We are still accepting bookings for the event and hope the wider sheep industry will continue to support us during this period of uncertainty. If we need to postpone or cancel the event the decision will be based on reducing the risk to our members, staff, supporters To find out more about what is happening at NSA Sheep Event 2020 visit the event website at www. sheepevent.org.uk LEAF Open Farm Sunday postponed until September Due to the circumstances related to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is with regret that LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) has taken the inevitable, safe and sensible decision to postpone this year’s LEAF Open Farm Sunday (LOFS) event to Sunday 20th September 2020. THIS decision has not been taken lightly and the organisation is fully aware of the implications and disappointment this may cause to host farmers and visitors. However, given the challenges that the whole country faces in the coming weeks and months, LEAF has been left with little choice but to postpone the event to later in the year. Caroline Drummond, LEAF Chief Executive, said: “We have spoken to a number of our host farmers to understand the impact of postponing to later in the year. We are pleased with the positive response from our ever-enthusiastic farmers, many of whom have indicated that they would like to still host LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2020. Consequently, we have rearranged the date to 20th September 2020. “We look forward to welcoming the public out onto farm at a different and interesting time of year to take pleasure from getting outside and celebrating farming, food and nature. We will continue to support farmers hosting an LOFS event in September and to encourage the public to visit a farm and discover the world of farming.” LEAF would like to thank everyone involved with LEAF Open Farm Sunday for their patience and understanding at this time and would encourage anyone with any questions about this postponement to visit the FAQ page on our website, www.farmsunday. org or email the LOFS team [email protected].